Lot  031 Ravenel Autumn Auction 2022

Ravenel Autumn Auction 2022

Summer Afternoon

Walasse TING (Chinese-American, 1929 - 2010)

1979

Acrylic on canvas

153 x 205 cm

Estimate

TWD 7,500,000-11,000,000

HKD 1,861,000-2,730,000

USD 237,200-347,900

CNY 1,682,000-2,466,000

Sold Price

TWD 8,400,000

HKD 2,137,405

USD 274,600

CNY 1,931,034


Signature

Signed reverse Ting, titled Summer Afternoon and dated 79

PROVENANCE
Lens Fine Art, Antwerp, Belgium
De Vuyst, Lokeren, Belgium, October 18, 2018, lot 445
Private collection, Europe

+ OVERVIEW

The work "Summer Afternoon" was created in Wallasse Ting's prime. Works from the late 1970s to the early 1980s often reflect Ting's heated emotional presentations involving huge and dashing freestyle strokes, yielding a texture that is casual and thick and making the viewer feel the surging emotions of the CoBra. In his works, the artist uses splendidly marvelous oil paints to express a sense of light, shapes, lines, and energy. Through his works, he shares with the viewer his ample sentiments. Both love and affection fill Ting's soul. Some people have stated that Ting's works are erotic. Perhaps affection was the inspiration for his creations and is the subject of his life, whereas eroticism comprises the splendid colors of his painting, as it is in his flesh and blood. It is through these splendid colors that he feels most alive.

Erotic and sensuous best describes Ting and his works. The artist uses large-scale paintings to construct a sense of space and time and to explore an imagery visual horizon that has never been explored. "Summer Afternoon" is an emotional world filled with eroticism. The dual female lead characters are composed in a V shape before the viewer, presenting a variety of feelings on both sides of the picture. In front of the azure curtain, a lady on the left is in bright yellow, the brilliancy of her dress attracting all attention. In the middle of the painting are smooth brush strokes of acrylic which have an ease to the paint and thin and direct oil crayon lines. The background color underlines the cheeks of the two beautiful ladies. The thick yet elegant colors emphasize the pinkness of their white skin. The bright yellow skirt foregrounds the hot July summer with playful imagery. The use of large color blocks transforms the artist's internal experiences of nature into a unique and pure substance. The elegant background color behind the two ladies is profound, adding a touch of coolness to the summer afternoon while hinting at the freehand spirit of eastern painting techniques of utilizing negative space. The lady on the right, legs crossed and leaned back, is dressed in a turquoise blouse that almost merges with the background. Her face is half hidden, and only her large eyes reveal a hint of shyness. The composition of this work is bizarre, unexpected yet perfectly reasonable. Although it is extremely unique, it is lively. Dynamic opposites are represented in the work and changes in harmony make this painting even more eye-catching. This large-scale work "Summer Afternoon" with women as the theme shows Ting's unique feeling for life and aestheticism, providing the viewer with ample space for imagination. Similar to the piece "Miss World" auctioned in the Ravenel Spring Auction 2015, this is yet another outstanding work praising feminine beauty. Ting's abstract paintings have been well-received in the auction scene in recent years, and prices have been skyrocketing, especially after 2020. Ting's talent and his passion for life are unreservedly represented in his abstract paintings, opening a new chapter for collecting Ting's arts.
Related Info

Select: Modern & Contemporary Art

Ravenel Autumn Auction 2022

Saturday, December 3, 2022, 4:00pm